Fried kibbe

Ingredients:

Filling:

• 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup pine nuts (2 ounces)
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onions
• 1/2 pound lean ground lamb
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon Pinch of cumin Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 teaspoons pomegranate molasses
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground sumac

Kibbe:

• 1 pound yellow onions (about 4 medium), coarsely chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin Pinch of cayenne pepper
• 1 pound very lean ground lamb
• 1 cup fine bulgur (No. 1 grade)
• Vegetable oil, for frying

Preparation:

• MAKE THE FILLING: In a medium skillet, melt the butter in the olive oil over moderate heat. Add the pine nuts and cook, stirring constantly, until golden. Transfer the nuts to a plate.
• Add the onions to the skillet and cook, stirring, until softened but not browned. Add the lamb and cook, stirring to break it up, until no trace of pink remains. Remove from the heat and stir in the toasted pine nuts and the allspice, cinnamon, cumin, salt and pepper. Stir in 1 teaspoon of the pomegranate molasses and 1/2 teaspoon of the sumac. Taste and add the remaining pomegranate molasses and sumac if desired.
• MAKE THE KIBBE: In a food processor, pulse the onions until finely chopped; add the salt, pepper, allspice, cinnamon, cumin and cayenne and process until minced. Distribute the meat over the onions and pulse to mix. Transfer to a large bowl.
• Put the bulgur in a large bowl and stir in enough water to cover. When the wheat dust and chaff rise to the surface, pour off the water. Rinse the bulgur 3 or 4 more times, until the water is clear. Cover the bulgur with fresh water and let it soak for 20 minutes. Drain the bulgur, squeeze it dry and add it to the lamb. Using wet hands, knead the kibbe as you would bread dough, wetting your hands frequently to prevent sticking. The texture of the kibbe should resemble light biscuit dough. Refrigerate until well chilled.
• Moisten your hands and roll about 3/4 cup of the kibbe into a football shape. Using your index finger, poke a hole in 1 end of the football and gently work your finger into the kibbe until you have a 3-inch-long torpedo-shaped shell with 1/3-inch-thick walls. Cradling the kibbe in one hand so that the walls don't collapse, spoon about 1 tablespoon of the filling into the cavity. Pinch the end to seal, patting the kibbe into a 3-by-11/2-inch torpedo. Set the kibbe on a baking sheet lined with plastic. Repeat with the remaining kibbe and filling.
• In a medium saucepan, heat 2 inches of oil to 350°. Fry the kibbe, 5 at a time, until browned, about 3 minutes. Drain on a rack lined with paper towels. Serve with the Eggplant-Yogurt Sauce.

MAKE AHEAD: The fried kibbe can be prepared ahead and reheated in a 400° oven for about 10 minutes, or until warmed through and crisp outside.

NOTES: To make kibbe bi saniyeh, pat half of the kibbe mixture into a generously buttered 10-inch round cake pan in an even layer. Spread the lamb filling evenly on top and cover with the remaining kibbe mixture, pressing it into a smooth, even layer. Score a decorative pattern on the top and brush with 2 tablespoons butter melted in 1 tablespoon olive oil. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes, then broil to brown the top. Let stand for 20 minutes before serving.

Foul Moudammas

Ingredients:

• 1 cup fava beans, cooked
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt

Preparation:

• Wash the dried fava beans and leave to soak in at least 3 cups of water for 12 hours.
• After soaking, rinse the beans and place in a saucepan with at least 5 cups of water and cook for about an hour, or until tender. Drain and place in a mixing bowl. Lightly mash the beans, adding the crushed garlic and lemon juice. Spoon the mixture into a small bowl.
• Pour olive oil over the beans and serve warm or at room temperature with Arabic bread.

Serves 2

Baba ghanoush

Makes: 1 mezza dish
Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 Large eggplant
• approx ¼ cup lemon juice
• 4-5 tablespoons tahini
  
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• ¼ cup finely chopped parsley to garnish

Preparation:

• Remove the green from around the neck of the eggplant, but leave the stem. Place in a hot oven until soft - approx 15-20 minutes - or hold onto stem and place over open grill or hotplate, turning from time to time until eggplant has softened. Allow to cool.
• Remove the skin carefully, while holding the stem. Mash the pulp thoroughly with a fork or place in the blender and slowly beat in lemon juice alternately with tahini.
• Crush garlic with salt and mix to a paste. Blend into the eggplant mixture. Adjust salt.
• Pour into shallow serving dishes or platters and garnish with chopped parsley.
• Serve with Arabic bread.

Preparing Baba Ganoush

Hummus

Makes: approx 3 cups
Cooking time: approx 1 ½ hours.

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups chick peas, soaked overnight
• water
• 2 teaspoons salt
• Approx 2 cloves garlic
• ¾ cup tahini
• approx ½ cup lemon juice
• pinch cayenne pepper and 2 tablespoons chopped parsley to garnish

Preparation:

• Drain the soaked chick peas, place in a pot and add there times their amount of water. Add 1 teaspoon salt and bring to the boil. Boil vigorously for about 10 minutes, turn the heat down, cover the saucepan and simmer until the chick peas are very soft- approx 1 hour. Drain liquid off and reserve. Reserve ½ cup of the whole, cooked chick peas for garnish. Purée the remainder of the peas by pressing through a sieve or placing in blender.
• Crush the garlic with the remaining teaspoon of salt. Beat or blend it into the purée.
• Slowly beat in the tahini and lemon juice alternately. Blend in a little of the reserved liquid to make the mixture a thick creamy consistency. Adjust salt and lemon to taste.
• Serve on a platter garnished with a pinch of cayenne pepper, parsley and the reserved chick peas.

Hummus Video

Arabic Bread

Ingredients:

• 360g (20 oz – 2 1/2 cups) of strong white flour
• 150 g (8oz - 1 cup) of cake flour
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon of sugar
• 1 teaspoon of active dried yeast
• 15 ml (1 tablespoon) of olive oil
• 250 ml (10 fl oz - 1 1/4 cup) of lukewarm water (body temperature is best)
• Yield 6 to 8 loaves.

Preparation:

• Measure the flour. Sift flours and salt together in a bowl. Stir in the sugar. It is important to mix the dry ingredients first.
• Dissolve the yeast with the water, and then stir in the oil and pour into a large bowl.
• Gradually beat the flour into yeast mixture, and then knead the mixture to make soft dough.
• Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. If you are using a food processor, run the machine for 1 minute. Add the dry ingredients first, then gradually add the liquids, Start at a low speed, and move up slowly. Always stand close to the food processor while is running.
• Place the dough in a large bowl, dusted with extra flour. You can also use olive oil to grease the bowl. This will prevent the dough from sticking to the surface of the bowl. Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel and leave to rise in a warm place free of air drafts for 1 1/2 hour to 2 hours, or until doubled in bulk. I usually place my dough to rice in the cool oven.
• Punch down the dough. On a floured surface, make a rope-like shape. Pinch off the dough to form 6 to 8 equal pieces, depending on how thin or thick you like your bread to be.
• Roll out each ball of dough, with a rolling pin, into a circle of about 10 inches (25cm) and a thickness of 1/4 inch (6mm). Set aside covered for ten minutes.
• Place dough in a preheated oven with temperature of 220 oC (425 oF – Gas mark 7).
• Cook the bread for 3 to 5 minutes. Your bread is ready when the hollow pocket has formed and the bread is slightly browned on the edges and on the top.
• Arabic bread is best eaten hot out of the oven because it tends to dry out quickly. If you want to store the bread for later consumption, allow the bread to cool, flatten, then store in plastic bags. You can refrigerate or freeze the bread.

Hummus and Arabic Pita Bread

Jordan - Social Profile

Local dishes:

Most restaurant meals start with mezzeh and only after you have eaten these appetizers will you be asked if you want to order a main dish this very sensible as in many cases mezzeh is all one needs exactly what you get as mezzeh varies from place to place but it usually includes the following:

Arabic bread round and flat which is eaten with all the other mezzeh dishes.

Hummus a puree of chick peas (garbanzos) with tahina (sesame seed paste), garlic and lemon juice.

Baba ghanoush a dip made from cooked often smoked egg-plant 9aubergine and tahina.

Foul moudammas boiled fava (brown) beans with garlic lemon juice cumin and lots of olive oil; a traditional Arab breakfast dish.

Fried Kibbe (Kibbe maqliya) deep fried balls made from a meat and bulgar 9cracked) wheat paste, with a spicy meat and onion filling

Sambousek small pastries filled with minced meat sharp white cheese or spinach/herb mixture.

Tabbouleh, a salad of chopped parsley, tomato, onion and fresh mint, with bulgar wheat and lemon juice.


Main dishes:

Mansaf Jordan’s national dish is stewed lamb served on a bed of rice and pine nuts, in a tangy yogurt sauce. Traditionally eaten from a communal dish using the right hand, mansaf is also available in restaurants.

Kebabs cooked over a charcoal fire are another specialty and you will find shish tawook (boneless chicken) shish kebab (boneless lamb or beef) and kofta kebab (spicy minced lamb) in most restaurants.

Farooj spit roasted chicken is also popular and served with bread and salad.

Fish is relatively rare in Jordan, although specialties like Sayadieh (Fish and Rice), boiled fish with Lemon sauce, are well worth trying if you find them on the menu.

Stuffed Grape Leaves (vine leaves stuffed with rice, minced meat and spices);

musakhan (chicken in olive oil and onion sauce roasted on Arab bread)


Sweets:

Jordanians have a sweet tooth and these pastries also make a great gift to take home.

Baklava is thin layers of phyllo pastry with chopped nuts in sweet honey syrup

Knafe, shredded dough filled with nuts or goat cheese, baked in syrup.

Katayef, a Ramadan treat, are small deep-fried pancakes stuffed with nuts, cheese or kashta.

Maamoul, pastries with nuts and dates, perfumed with rose water.

Mahalabiya, a milk pudding with rose or orange flower water.

Sahlab, a hot milk drink flavored with powdered sahlab root and served with chopped pistachio nuts, cinnamon and rose water.


Take away food:
There are plenty of delicious snacks to be found in restaurants and street stalls, Try these:’
Beef Shawarma, also known as a sandwich, is thinly sliced beef or lamb cut from a vertical spit and served in flat pita bread. Chicken shawarma is good too.

Falafel: are small deep fried balls of a paste made with chick peas, onions, parsley and spices; it is usually served wrapped in pita bread with tahina and salad.

Coffee and tea:

Jordanian Arabic coffee is strong and served in tiny cups it is often flavored with cardamom. Don’t try to drink the last mouthful, as it will be full of coffee grounds shake the cup to indicate that you do not want a refill. Turkish coffee is also common, and American coffee is available in the cities decaffeinated coffee is offered in the larger hotels coffee is an important symbol of hospitality and it is very common to be offered coffee or tea in small shops, or to be invited to have coffee in someone’s home it is good etiquette to accept. Tea is served in small glasses and is usually very sweet tea with fresh mint makes a refreshing variation.

Smoking:

Smoking is much more common in Jordan than in Europe or the USA, and smoke free accommodation is relatively unusual, except in the larger hotels. Smoking a nargileh, the traditional water pipe or Hubble Bubble is an interesting experience which can be tried in any coffee house and many restaurants. The tobacco flavor is mild and often heavily perfumed.


Alcohol:

Alcohol is served in most restaurants and bars in the cities, except during Ramadan (non-Arabs can still get a drink in a hotel). Locally brewed Amstel beer is available as are excellent wines from surrounding countries. Alcohol can also be purchased in supermarkets and some shops. Araq is local liquor similar to Greek ouzo, usually mixed with water and ice.


Nightlife:

There are nightclubs, theaters and cinemas in Amman, while some other major towns have cinemas. Often clubs will only admit couples or mixed groups. Many of the four- and five-star hotels have popular clubs and bars.

Shopping:

Every town will have a souk (market), and there are also many good craft and jewelery shops. There is a particularly good gold and jewelery market in Amman. Special items include: Hebron glass, mother-of-pearl boxes, pottery, backgammon sets, embroidered tablecloths, jeweled rosaries and worry beads, nativity sets made of olive wood, leather hassocks, old and new brass and copper items, caftans hand-embroidered with silver and gold thread. Jordan is famous for its gold and silver; the center of Amman has a gold souk with over 50 shops. Necklaces with a small golden coffee pot (dalleh) - a national symbol - are popular and widely available.
Shopping hours: Sat-Thurs 0900-1300 and 1500-2030 (closed Friday).

Special Events:

The following is a selection of special events in Jordan during 2002. For a complete list consult the Jordan Tourism Office (see address section):

Apr 4-14 Amman International Festival for Independent Theatre.
Apr 12 Amman Dead Sea Ultra Marathon, Amman.
Jul 26-Aug 11 Jerash Festival for Culture and Art (two weeks of Jordanien and international folklore groups, artists and musical performances).

Social Conventions:

Handshaking is the customary form of greeting. Jordanians are proud of their Arab culture, and hospitality here is a matter of great importance. Visitors are made to feel very welcome and Jordanians are happy to act as hosts and guides, and keen to inform the tourists about their traditions and culture. Islam always plays an important role in society and it is essential that Muslim beliefs are respected . Arabic coffee will normally be served continuously during social occasions. To signal that no more is wanted, slightly tilt the cup when handing it back, otherwise it will be refilled. A small gift is quite acceptable in return for hospitality. Women are expected to dress modestly and beachwear must only be worn at the beach or poolside.
Photography: It is polite to ask permission to take photographs of people and livestock; in some places photography is forbidden.

Tipping: 10-12 per cent service charge is generally added in hotels and restaurants and extra tips are discretionary. Porters' and drivers' tips are about 8 per cent.

Public Holidays in Jordan

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2009 - December 2010 period.

2009
1 Jan New Year's Day.
9 Mar Mawlid al-Nabi (Birth of the Prophet).
10 Apr Good Friday.
13 Apr Easter Monday.
1 May Labour Day.
25 May Independence Day.
10 Jun Army Day.
20 Jul Prophet's Ascension.
22 Aug Ramadan begins.
20 Sep Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan).
27 Nov Eid al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice).
18 Dec Islamic New Year.
25 Dec Christmas.

2010
1 Jan New Year's Day.
26 Feb Mawlid al-Nabi (Birth of the Prophet).
2 Apr Good Friday.
5 Apr Easter Monday.
1 May Labour Day.
25 May Independence Day.
10 Jun Army Day.
9 Jul Prophet's Ascension.
11 Aug Ramadan begins.
10 Sep Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan).
16 Nov Eid al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice).
7 Dec Islamic New Year.
25 Dec Christmas.

Note
(a) Christmas and Easter holidays are only observed by Christian business establishments.

(b) Muslim festivals are timed according to local sightings of various phases of the moon and the dates given above are approximations. During the lunar month of Ramadan that precedes Eid al-Fitr, Muslims fast during the day and feast at night and normal business patterns may be interrupted. Many restaurants are closed during the day and there may be restrictions on smoking and drinking. Some disruption may continue into Eid al-Fitr itself. Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha may last anything from two to 10 days, depending on the region.